Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 268: Lightning, Thunder and Terror.

Ken staggered back, his aura faltering as the last waves of celestial energy rolled through the dungeon. His robes were torn, his hair matted with dust and blood. He could still feel the sting of the Empress’s unleashed Qi across his skin, a reminder that even restrained, her strength had always been far beyond his comprehension. The white-haired celestial woman beside him steadied herself, her breathing uneven, her eyes reflecting a rare trace of fear.

They both knew the truth...if the Empress decided to fight them now, it would be a tough battle. Ken clenched his jaw, trying to maintain the cold confidence that once defined him, but his hands trembled ever so slightly. He could still taste the power that had torn the dungeon apart, the divine energy that had once ruled the heavens of Lechia. And yet, he refused to admit defeat.

"She’s still weakened," he hissed through his teeth, trying to convince himself as much as the woman beside him. "Even with that outburst, she can’t maintain her strength for long."

The white-haired celestial glanced at him, her voice low and tense. "You and I both know what she is, Ken. That wasn’t even a fraction of her true might. If she turns that power toward us again, there will be nothing left of this place...nor of us."

Ken didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Deep down, he knew she was right. The Empress of Lechia was no ordinary celestial. The only reason she had fallen was because of treachery, not weakness. And now she stood before them once more, no longer bound.

The Empress’s eyes were cold and bright, filled with silent fury. Her aura swirled like a living tempest, drawing in the dust and light around her. The air crackled with electricity, each spark hissing against the stone as if the dungeon itself could no longer contain her power.

Her gaze drifted to Lucas, who lay broken amidst the ruins. His chest still rose and fell faintly, but the rhythm was uneven, fading. Blood stained his body, and his aura flickered weakly like a dying flame. The Empress’s expression softened for a heartbeat...enough to betray the hint of sorrow behind her wrath.

She could feel it. He was slipping away.

In that instant, she made her choice.

Without a word, she turned her head toward Ken and the white-haired celestial. The faint glow in her eyes grew into a searing light, the full weight of her divine power beginning to surge once again. Ken’s instincts screamed at him before his mind even registered the movement. He immediately raised his hand, summoning his celestial shield, his voice sharp.

"Brace yourself!" he shouted.

The white-haired woman obeyed instantly, erecting a barrier of her own. Their combined energies filled the chamber with a golden glow just as the heavens themselves answered the Empress’s silent call.

A deafening rumble tore through the air. Then came the lightning.

It did not fall....it descended like judgment. A colossal strike burst from the heavens above, splitting through the clouds, the palace and down to the dungeon. The entire palace seemed to shudder as a blinding column of divine lightning crashed down upon it. The sound was indescribable....thunder and wrath and the screams of the earth all at once.

Ken’s barrier flared under the impact, sparks bursting around him as the raw energy tore through stone and metal. The white-haired woman cried out as the shockwave pressured her down, the ground beneath them cracking due to the immense pressure, their barrier fracturing under the divine pressure.

Ken gritted his teeth, pouring every last drop of Qi into his defense. His arms trembled as his golden shield splintered, each fragment dissolving into light. He couldn’t even see through the radiance anymore...only the storm that surrounded him, swallowing everything.

Then, the light faded, the roar of thunder echoed one last time, followed by silence so absolute it rang in their ears. The dungeon was unrecognizable. The floor was cracked and blackened, the air thick with smoke and ozone. Dust drifted slowly through the air, mingling with faint traces of divine energy that still hummed faintly, like the last breath of a dying storm.

Ken lowered his shield, his breath ragged. The white-haired celestial leaned against the rubble, her aura flickering weakly. They both scanned the wreckage with wide eyes.

The Empress was gone.

There was no sign of her...no trace of her blazing aura, no glimmer of her power. Lucas’s broken body was gone as well, and so was Seraphine. Only the lingering pulse of her divine energy remained in the air, faint but unmistakable, like a whisper that promised vengeance.

Ken clenched his fist, his expression darkening. "She escaped," he muttered, his voice low and trembling with fury. The woman beside him exhaled shakily.

Ken’s gaze hardened as he looked toward the gaping hole above them, where the lightning had torn through the palace ceiling. The city was still trembling from the strike. He could hear the distant screams of guards and servants as chaos spread through the upper halls.

_________

Nyx, Selene, Lira, Mirielle, and Theron guided the frightened prisoners through the dim, twisting halls that led to the old wine cellar. The air was thick with tension and the smell of dust and blood. Every few steps, they could hear the clanging of armor in the distance...the palace guards were still searching, their shouts bouncing off the marble walls. They had killed and defeated waves of them on their way... Moments ago, they had felt the entire palace shook due to the Empress’s lightning strike but they didn’t slow down.

Selene turned back briefly, his voice urgent. "Keep moving! Stay low and close together. We’re almost there!"

Nyx, her eyes flaring faintly in the darkness, helped an old court official who was limping.

Lira glanced over her shoulder, her breathing labored, strands of her silver hair sticking to her sweat-covered face. "We can’t draw attention," she said sharply. "We’re too close. Just a few more turns and we’ll reach the old cellar passage."

The group rounded a corner....and froze.

A chilling, oppressive aura descended upon them, from the shadows ahead, a tall figure stepped forward, his eyes glowing with cruel amusement. His robe was gilded with celestial runes, and his expression was calm, almost lazy, but the killing intent that radiated from him was suffocating.

"So," the man said softly, his voice echoing like a hiss of thunder in the dark. "You’re the ones that escaped the dungeon, this would be boring."

Selene clenched her fists, her aura flaring around her as she took a step forward. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?" she demanded, her tone defiant though her body trembled.

The man smiled faintly, brushing invisible dust off his shoulder. "Names don’t matter to the dead," he said.

Then he moved.

Before any of them could react, his palm shot forward, and a violent wave of Qi blasted through the air. The pressure alone threw several of the prisoners backward, slamming them into the walls. Theron leapt forward, parrying the blow with his blade, but the impact sent cracks running through the floor beneath him. He took quite a hit, if not that he was a seasoned ascendant ranked cultivator, he wouldn’t have withstood the strike.

Lira darted to his side, flames bursting from her fingertips. She sent a wave of fiery energy at the celestial, but he brushed it aside like it was smoke. The heat of her attack rippled uselessly against his aura.

Selene and Mirielle tried to counter with coordinated strikes, their elemental energy combining in a blast that sent debris flying. The corridor trembled, and smoke filled the space...but when it cleared, the celestial still stood there, untouched. His expression didn’t even change.

"You children truly think you can fight a celestial?" he mocked, his tone dripping with disdain. "I’ll make this quick. After all, Ken wants your heads intact."

He raised his hand, gathering energy that distorted the very air around it, the pressure was unbearable.

"Move!" Theron shouted, grabbing Nyx by the arm and shoving her back as the attack built to its peak. The prisoners screamed, some clutching their heads as the energy crackled around them.